I had to do some repairs to my fender wells on my 47 Olds and will need to replace the caged fender nuts. I have the hole drilled for them, but don't know how to cut nice small slots for the ears on the nuts. The slots are .100" wide x 1/4" long. Anybody have a good way to do it? These are the kind of nuts I'm talking about.
If it was me, I would carefully use a dremmel with that little 1" cut off wheel. And then shape it with a Nicholsen round pointed swiss file #0
Maybe something like this?... https://www.harborfreight.com/18-in...rce=bing&utm_medium=cpc&mkwid=KE0GgBvZ|pcrid|{creative}|pkw||pmt|be|pdv|c|slid||product|69745|pgrid||ptaid||&pgrid=1170980177767647&ptaid=pla-4576785874942154&pcid=368003297&msclkid=5faa7f12b8a5126cee7e2200eb98dfaa
Make a pattern out of something non magnetic and use a plasma cutter. You will be done in a few minutes.
I already have die grinders, but they aren't always easy to control on small stuff like what I need. Maybe if I try a small radiac wheel first to kind of put a groove into the metal to guide the bit. Hmmm...
Is that really the type you need? Do you have to have those "ears"? Would you better cutting those tabs off and riveting or welding (like a spot weld) those?
This is a 'micro' grinder, much easier to control plus you can get very small bits for it. Might be best to drill a series of holes then connect them. Building a drill guide fixture would be a huge help too if you have to do more than a few of them. If you have the bolt holes drilled, you could bolt the fixture into place.
Mark where you want the slot to be. Then drill a small hole on each end of the marked out slot. Then slice cut it with a small cut of wheel. QUESTION: If you know where you want the cage nuts to be located, why not cut off the tabs and weld the cage nuts in place. That way no water seeps in.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/223322163852 Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
They are the type that are in there now, and I'm trying to keep the same thing in there. I have thought about just welding them, but would like to keep the original look. Just me I guess!
The slots are pretty small. I'd actually have to cut past where I need it in order for the wheel to cut completely through the drilled holes. I guess I could just weld the groove that extends past the cut out slot afterwards. And I'm trying to keep it like original
Drill two holes at the end of where you want the slots then take a sharp chisel modified for the slot and cut out the center between the drilled holes.
Sharpen a small screw driver, and bang it thru where you want the slot while someone backs it up with a hunk of 2x4
Good ideas here! This would be so much easier if it was just a piece of sheet metal on the bench, but twisting myself up under the wheel well to do this is a PIA!
Well, I gave the small drill and file method a try and it worked out pretty good! I found a drill bit that measured .100" and drilled a couple holes at the end of the slot, then got my die grinder with a very small radiac wheel and scored most of the metal away between the drilled holes, then attacked it with a small file. One pic shows the rusted out piece of metal I used as a template. Sprayed the wheel wells with some epoxy primer and called it done.Thanks for tips guys
You did it about how I was thinking. Anything cut, drilled and stacked on like that, I like to use some of that black putty stuff (I forget the name) for windshields and firewall grommet/wire sealing. It doesn't dry up or wick out and can be painted right over, plus there are no voids to trap water. I picked that up from a neighbor who is a dent removal pro and when he has to drill holes to access the back sides, he uses the black stuff with the plugs to make 'em watertight and rustproof.